I’m a bit of a fixer by nature I think. I like to restore order, inspire peace, and smooth out the difficulties others are experiencing. I like to help make things better. I guess on good days that makes me a devoted wife and daughter, useful employee, and supportive friend. On bad days it probably just makes me an irritating control freak!

I think I strayed into control freak territory the other day. And in the yoga studio of all places. So probably a worse transgression!

At the end of class after the teacher had left, one of other students who’s new to yoga came up and asked me about my mat since she was frustrated by slipping hands in down dog. I let her play and unleash her dog on my mat.

All good so far — just students swapping tips.

But was it bad that I then pointed out that she could try pressing more firmly through her hands and this might give her more solidity in the pose? I did tell her I was only a student! And this is a pretty safe cue, right?

But then one thing led to another and as she adjusted her hands she changed her whole pose and was now pushing her chest towards the ground. So I pointed that out too since it wouldn’t be great for her shoulders longer term, and so she shifted slightly only to round her back and shift the weight more forward overall. So I suggested she drew in navel to spine and imagined her sit bones rising to the ceiling.

Result for her: beautiful long spine and (in my opinion) a much improved pose.

Result for me: 50% awe that a few words transformed her pose and 50% horror that I’d offered my ill-qualified advice to another student.

Note to self: keep your attention on you own body, anyone else’s is not your business.